Outdoor enthusiasts, recreational hunters, and photographers have long recognized that live animals and game, and particularly live waterfowl, are attracted to areas that appear to be inhabited by similar animals. For this reason, hunters have used decoys to attract live game to within shooting distance of a hunter's rifle, shotgun or other weapon, and within prime viewing distance of photographers and other outdoor enthusiasts. Likewise, decoys and other animal-shaped structures are also often used to deter certain animals from entering into an area such as an owl or hawk shaped decoy employed to keep mice away from an area. For decoys that are to be situated at or near the water's surface, the overall ability for the decoy to attract or deter the intended game is directly related to and influenced by the decoy's ability to properly float on the water and handle external factors such as current, wave conditions, and wind.
Traditional decoys are often tethered to an external object in such a manner that their position is relatively stationary and their retrieval is readily achievable. Ideal conditions for the use of traditional floating decoys comprise low winds and little to no current or wave action, allowing the decoys to float evenly on the water's surface. However, floating decoys are often used or desired to be used in less than ideal conditions which reduce the effectiveness of traditional decoys. For example, enhanced winds and currents would impact the manner in which the decoy would float and otherwise sit in the water, stifling the decoy's ability to attract the intended game. The winds and current will exert forces counter to the tether, causing the decoy to exhibit an unnatural lean. It is therefore desirable to create and develop a single decoy device which is capable of being effectively used in ideal conditions as well as in less than ideal conditions.
The use of keels is well known in the nautical industry. In terms of nautical structures, a keel is generally an extension which projects from the nautical structure to help provide stability to the structure, often by lowering the center of mass of the nautical structure. A number of inventions have been developed over the years that utilize a general keel structure in conjunction with a decoy in order to help provide a floating decoy which is capable of being used in the less than ideal conditions discussed herein. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,834,054, 6,470,621, 6,748,690, and 7,941,962 generally teach decoy devices which utilize a keel component to combat less than ideal conditions.
While other decoy systems have attempted to overcome the shortcomings of the traditional floating decoy by incorporating a keel component to the system, most have shortcomings of their own. For example, all four of the previously referenced patents utilize external keel components which are only capable of being attached to the decoy in a deployed position. These systems falter in terms of both storage and anticipation of use. The keel components discussed in these patents are generally limited to two states, either attached to the decoys in a fully deployed state or detached completely from the decoys, thereby limiting the effectiveness of the decoy in terms of anticipated both use and storage. Consider, for example, that when external conditions do not require or suggest the use of a keel, the keel component of the prior art would generally be separated from the decoy, enhancing the potential for the components to be misplaced. Storing the decoy and keel components of the prior art pose practical limitations and issues because the devices can either be stored in one of two ways: (1) with the keel component attached to the decoy, reducing the risk of losing the keel component, but increasing the bulk of the device and hindering effective storage, or (2) with the keel component separated from the decoy, increasing the likelihood of misplacing components. Furthermore, it is also noted that separating the keel component from the decoy also increases the likelihood that the keel component may be absent or otherwise out of reach when its use is desired, such as when conditions worsen during operation of the decoy.
Under ideal conditions, a keel component may not be required and often may not be desired to be deployed because the keel may, under such conditions, cause the decoy to exhibit an unnatural lean. Therefore, a goal of at least one embodiment is to provide a decoy with a selectively deployable keel wherein the keel is capable of being placed in a non-deployed state such that the decoy would float in substantially the same manner as it would if the keel component were not attached. However, should conditions change whereby the use of the keel is desired, the keel in such an embodiment remains attached to the decoy for easy deployment.
As can be seen from the above discussion, the prior art has largely failed to capitalize on a floating decoy device that is inexpensive, yet durable and adaptable so as to be readily usable under varying conditions. Therefore, what is needed is a device that overcomes the shortfalls of the prior art. Specifically, what is needed is a device that properly caters to external conditions and also provides efficient storage when the device is not in use. These and other, further and more specific objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art following detailed description thereof, taken in conjunction with the drawings.